Parable of the Lost Sheep

        I am going to try to explain something to you all that I read today and found very encouraging. I read Matthew 18:11-14 The parable of the Lost Sheep. When I read the heading to these verses I did't think much about it or how it could relate to me right now in life. I know the parable well and it seems sometimes it can be hard to feel God really speak to you when you open to something you read often or know well. But today as soon as I got done reading these verses I suddenly thought of exactly how this relates to our situation.
       God would leave the 99 to look for the one lost sheep, showing us just how important one soul is to Him on this earth. It really jumped out at me that maybe there is that one soul that will be born to a family that will not teach it the truth and so we are being sent to bring a child to God! If I was important enough that God would put me in a loving family and show me the truth then He may have another child that He wants us to adopt and give that same gift. Maybe He is sending us to do some sheep (or lamb) searching for Him here on this earth. It is probably a little scary for the shepherd to leave the herd of 99 where he feels safe and comfortable just to find that one lost sheep but the importance of that one sheep is so great it is worth it. It may seem more desirable and more comfortable or stable to do what most people are able to do and have our own children but maybe God is calling us to find that one sheep that is lost. That one child that needs a family that will raise them to know Jesus as their savior. What about that one soul who doesn't have the family that will teach them about God? How important is their soul?